


Romance Language

by SpringZephyr



Category: Inazuma Eleven: Orion no Kokuin
Genre: Awkward Flirting, M/M, Study Date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:34:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26635933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpringZephyr/pseuds/SpringZephyr
Summary: Nosaka is helping Asuto with his English homework.
Relationships: Inamori Asuto/Nosaka Yuuma
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Romance Language

**Author's Note:**

  * For [obakatamago](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=obakatamago).



> Gift fic for obakatamago on Twitter.

“English is so hard,” Asuto says.

“Is that a fact?” Nosaka asks.

He's not trying to complain. He's really, really not. But English is a subject he's always struggled with, even when his mom was alive and she'd motivate him with stories about his father traveling abroad while they did homework together.

“Well...” Asuto starts, defensive. “It's not easy.”

Nosaka smiles.

They're on face time right now, because long distance, and the internet on Inakuni Island is atrocious and likes to lag. There are a lot of occasions where the audio and the image don't quite match up. Like now, as Nosaka is smiling at him, and Asuto thinks it's supposed to be encouraging, because he hears “I don't mind starting from the top” while Nosaka's mouth doesn't appear to be moving. There's also something rustling in the background, like Nosaka is digging through papers.

When the camera finally catches up again, he sees Nosaka is digging through his study notes from when he was with the Ares program. The material he covered while he was in Ares is a lot harder than what Asuto is studying now. On the other hand, Nosaka insists, because it was harder the explanations were also more thorough.

It doesn't matter, Asuto thinks. The differences between the various different types of conditional verbs aren't something he will ever remember. Only after months of practicing was he even able to remember what direction the letter “b” goes in and what direction “d” goes in.

“I have an idea,” Asuto says.  
  
One of the first exercises Nosaka had given him was to pick something he enjoyed, and then look up ten different English words related to that. Since Asuto had obviously chosen “soccer” as the thing he enjoyed, he'd ended up learning all sorts of words related to soccer – field, ball, team, and so on.

This idea, he hopes, will be kind of similar to that.

Assuming Nosaka allows it, that is.

“Let's hear it.”

As Nosaka stares into the camera, with his chin propped on one hand and a lazy smile stretching across his face, Asuto can only think about how lucky he is to have someone so patient and smart in his life. And handsome.

There is, of course, still a chance that Nosaka won't like his idea, but the fact that he's still smiling fills Asuto with confidence. Regardless, it's a little embarrassing to say.

“Ah, I was just thinking... that is – what if you said something and I tried to translate it?”

“Isn't that what we've been doing?”

  
“No! I mean... if it was something c-cute and romantic, I could write it down and... try to translate it? That would be pretty motivating.”

“Oh, so you want me to sweet talk you.”

Asuto's face stutters, like the image on his computer screen keeps stuttering. The idea sounded good in his head. Spoken out loud, however, it's just embarrassing. Nosaka isn't prone to blushing, especially not like Asuto is, but based on the reaction he does give, Asuto thinks he'll probably say “no” after all.

X

“I can try – ” Nosaka starts, only to suddenly find that he can't think of the right words in English. Like, at all.

Aside from that, Asuto has never made a request like this before. What do people normally say when they're asked to flatter someone? He supposed he could start by listing all of the things he likes about Asuto – except he can't remember the word for “smile” either.

Asuto is waiting for him to say something. And actually, it's more than that. Nosaka straight up can't think of anything to say.

For some reason, his mind goes to Nishikage for inspiration. Then he starts thinking about the fast food they ate earlier, and –

“ _I'd like a chicken meal with two jelly packets, add pickles and onions.”_

It's an idea, but it's not a very good one, so Nosaka speaks a little faster than he normally does, hoping that combined with Asuto's low skill level means he will never ever figure out what he just said. Because he's not sure what is more embarrassing – trying to charm Asuto by saying cliché things about his smile being as warm as midday sunshine, or the fact that the Ares program teachers apparently spent a lot of time time drilling their classes on ordering takeout.

His plan seems to have worked on Asuto, but there's a chance he's been found out anyway. Mansaku and Michinari have just entered the room, and Mansaku might look like a dumb jock, but they're both looking at him with expressions that say they understood everything.

Which is how Nosaka Yuuma discovers what wanting to be able to disappear at will feels like.

“Asuto,” Michinari says. When Asuto turns around to look at them, Nosaka quietly takes this opportunity to mouth the words “don't tell him” at them. “We were just, uh, stopping by to see if you're busy...”

Michinari, Nosaka thinks, is still a little unused to the idea that they're dating.

“Goujin's dad is making red bean buns again,” Mansaku explained, far more helpfully. “But it's all right if you're busy. He can bring some over later.”

One of the weird quirks about Inakuni kids is that they always feel the need to deliver messages in person. Nosaka knows that Inakuni has phones and internet connection – obviously, or he and Asuto wouldn't be able to talk like this – but it's like most of the people who live there hardly use them.

Asuto's eyes dart around the table, looking at all of the homework he has left to finish. He's probably worried that Nosaka will be upset if he leaves suddenly, too.

“Eh, maybe...” _  
_

“It's probably time for a break anyway.” Nosaka gives him an encouraging little smile that should be enough to convince Asuto he deserves it. And Nosaka doesn't mind if he hangs out with his friends more often. That's something Nosaka himself should probably start doing more often too, now that his team actually functions like a team. “Besides, I'm not doing anything else today.”

He closes the folder with all of his notes in it, like that's the end of the conversation. Asuto will probably take his time putting things away, even after their face time ends, organizing everything into neat stacks and piles. That's the kind of person he is.

“Right.” Asuto smiles back at him affirmatively. “I'll try not to be gone too long.”

The camera feed cuts out. Nosaka waits for a few minutes, long enough to realize that it's easier to organize his thoughts when the person who takes them away isn't staring him in the face, then takes out his phone.

After a little bit of dictionary checking, he opens a new text, and writes, in English,  _Your smile is so bright I go blind even with sunglasses on._

It's still cheesy, but he can't wait to see the look on Asuto's face if he figures out what it says. He hopes it makes him smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Non-multilingual people might think it's weird that Nosaka can spit out a sentence so fast after saying he can't remember the word for smile, but I also wrote this
> 
> Je voudrais un repas de poulet avec deux confitures, les oignions et moins les cornichons
> 
> in the same amount of time it took me to remember if I know the word for “sunshine”.


End file.
